South African Innovation Marks Breakthrough As First Human Aortic Procedures Succeed In US

The first in-human procedures were successfully performed at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia by internationally recognised leaders in aortic surgery, Dr Arminder Jassar and Dr Joseph Bavaria.

Dr Peter Zilla, founder and Chief Medical Officer of SAT, together with co-developers Dr Roman Gottardi and Dr Martin Czerny, said: “This first use in patients confirms that CenterFlow has real clinical value and the potential to change how aortic aneurysms are treated.

“By extending the treatment window from seconds to minutes while maintaining stability and radial force, it represents a meaningful advance in patient care.”

SA medtech innovation

This milestone not only marks a major advancement in patient outcomes globally but also highlights South Africa’s role as a leader in medical technology innovation.

Cardiovascular disease is a major health burden in South Africa and globally.

Access to safer, more advanced devices means improved patient outcomes and reduced reliance on imported technologies.

During conventional aortic artery repair, blood flow is temporarily blocked.

At the same time, a balloon is inflated to mould a sleeve-like repair device, creating an extremely high-risk window for both patients and surgeons.

Designed by the South African medtech company Strait Access Technologies, the CenterFlow catheter features a hollow-balloon design that maintains uninterrupted blood flow during inflation. Image supplied.

The CenterFlow catheter incorporates a hollow-balloon design that allows uninterrupted blood flow during inflation, enabling surgeons to operate under more stable conditions and with extended timeframes when repairing life-threatening weaknesses or ruptures in the aorta, known as aneurysms.

The aorta is the largest artery in the human body and the main vessel that carries oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to the rest of the body.

Following nine years of development, the device recently received US FDA 510(k) regulatory clearance for commercial use.